Nuclear Information Project
The Nuclear Information Project provides the public with reliable information about the status and trends of the nuclear weapons arsenals of the world’s nuclear-armed countries.
The Nuclear Information Project, called “one of the most widely sourced resources for nuclear warhead counts” by the Washington Post, uses open sources such as official documents, testimonies, previously undisclosed information obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, as well as independent analysis of commercial satellite imagery as the basis for developing the best available unclassified estimates of the status and trends of nuclear weapons worldwide.
The Project also conducts analysis of the role of nuclear weapons and provides recommendations for responsibly reducing the numbers and role of nuclear weapons.
The research is mainly published on the Strategic Security Blog, in the Nuclear Notebook in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the World Nuclear Forces overview in the SIPRI Yearbook, as well as in magazines. As a primary source for reliable information on nuclear weapons, the Project is a frequent advisor to governments, parliamentarians, the news media, institutes, and non-governmental organizations.
The Nuclear Information Project is directed by Hans M. Kristensen in collaboration with Matt Korda, Eliana Johns, and Mackenzie Knight (and previously Robert S. Norris). The Project also collaborates with other experts and organizations.
This work builds on the Nuclear Weapons Databook project that Thomas Cochran and Robert Norris managed at NRDC for many years. Many of their publications are available here at FAS via the Archives page.
The Nuclear Information Project is currently supported with generous contributions from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, the Jubitz Family Foundation, the New-Land Foundation, Ploughshares, the Prospect Hill Foundation, Longview Philanthropy, the Future of Life Institute, and individual donors.
We could not imagine a nuclear weapons field without the Federation of American Scientists.
– Ploughshares
On September 3, 2025, China showcased its military power in a parade commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the end of World War II. The parade featured a large number of new military weapons and equipment, including new and modified nuclear systems that had not been previously publicly displayed. This parade was also the first time […]
With 2000 nuclear weapons on alert, far more powerful than the first bomb tested in the Jornada Del Muerto during the Trinity Test 80 years ago, our world has been fundamentally altered.
While it is reasonable for governments to keep the most sensitive aspects of nuclear policies secret, the rights of their citizens to have access to general knowledge about these issues is equally valid so they may know about the consequences to themselves and their country.
Without information, without factual information, you can’t act. You can’t relate to the world you live in. And so it’s super important for us to be able to monitor what’s happening around the world, analyze the material, and translate it into something that different audiences can understand.
Despite progress in reducing nuclear weapon arsenals since the Cold War, the world’s combined inventory of nuclear warheads remains at a very high level.
The FAS Nuclear Notebook is one of the most widely sourced reference materials worldwide for reliable information about the status of nuclear weapons.
For decades, the Federation of American Scientists website has hosted vast and valuable archives of data relating to nuclear weapons.
To empower new voices to start their career in nuclear weapons studies, we’re pairing emerging leaders with a senior academic or policy expert to co-author a research project that provides a creative perspective on nuclear deterrence policy.
This work builds on the Nuclear Weapons Databook project that Thomas Cochran and Robert Norris managed at NRDC for many years. Many of their publications are available here at FAS via the Cochran Archive and the Norris Archive.
The Nuclear Information Project is currently supported with generous contributions from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, the New-Land Foundation, Ploughshares Fund, the Prospect Hill Foundation, Longview Philanthropy, the Future of Life Institute, and individual donors.
A quick overview with the most up-to-date information on the world’s nuclear weapons arsenals.
Read the latest stories and analyses of current nuclear weapons-related issues, from new discoveries to treaty retrospections.
Dive into the world-famous Nuclear Notebook series with detailed information about each nuclear armed state.
Looking for a project publication? See the chronology with links going back more than a decade.
Our research is used by others around the globe. Here’s just a glimpse of the news stories based on our research.
Follow Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda, Eliana Johns, and Mackenzie Knight on Twitter for real-time analysis and more.
Nuclear Policy and strategy, De-alerting,
Nuclear Weapons
Open Source Data Collection,
Global Nuclear Weapons Arsenals,
Missile Defence,
Nuclear-Climate Nexus
Status of Worldwide Nuclear Arsenals,
Nuclear Strategy and Policy,
North Korea, China
Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament,
Nuclear Policy and Doctrine
Women, Peace and Security, Nuclear weapons industry affected communities